Private Laurie Albert Canning
Private Laurie Albert Canning was born on May 19th, 1931 to Bertram and Annie (nee Conway) Canning. Laurie was the fourth child of twelve, the others were Joseph (Lance Corporal in the Army), John, Eugene, Bertram, Carl, Mary, Agnes, Alice, Anne, Barbara and Claire.
Laurie enlisted in the Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry as an Infantryman, and was assigned the rank of Private and the Service number A800309. Private Canning's enlistment date is unclear, but was some time before May, 1950. According to a note in the Liverpool Advance, "he underwent training at Calgary and Fort Lewis, Washington, before going to Korea in October 1951".
Korean War personnel files are not yet available from the Canadian Archives, so very little public information is available to fill in the details of Private Canning’s time in uniform.
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Private Canning perished near Busan in what is now South Korea on May 2nd, 1952. He was 21 years old. According to Legion records, Private Canning died of accidental causes as he was being rushed to a Regimental Aid Outpost with a serious stomach ailment.
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Private Canning's parents received a telegram on May 8th informing them of his death.
Private Canning was posthumously awarded the Korea Medal and the United Nations Service Medal Korea. These would have been presented to his mother, Annie. Annie would also have been awarded the Memorial Cross Medal (also known as the Silver Cross).
Private Canning is laid to rest in Plot 20, Row 12, Grave 1256 in the United Nations Cemetery (Busan), South Korea. The land for the cemetery was granted to the United Nations by South Korea as a tribute to all those who had laid down their lives in upholding peace and freedom. There are 376 Canadian servicemen interred in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery.
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As noted in the Advance, “An impressive service was held at the Saint Jerome’s Catholic Church, West Caledonia on May 15th, including Requiem High Mass. Caledonia Legion Branch Number 87 assisted in the service. Following the close of the Mass, the Legion members assembled in the churchyard for a Legion service, while “The Last Post” was sounded by Lester Zwicker. About twenty-five members of the Legion paraded to and from this service, including Veterans of World Wars I and II, honouring their comrade in the present conflict".
Private Canning’s family also memorialized him with a headstone in Saint Jerome’s Roman Catholic Cemetery in West Caledonia.
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Private Laurie Albert Canning is commemorated on Page 10 of the Korean War Book of Remembrance. Private Canning is remembered with honour on the Korea Veterans National Wall of Remembrance in Meadowvale Cemetery, Brampton, Ontario. He is also commemorated on the Nova Scotia Korean War Memorial in Yarmouth with his fellow Nova Scotians who lost their lives in the Korean War. Private Canning is also listed on the Caledonia Cenotaph.
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Online References
War Grave Search – https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/
Local Grave Search - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/128762486/laurie-albert-canning
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/204402392/laurie-a-canning
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65868884/laurie-albert-canning
Canadian Virtual War Memorial - https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/80000057?Laurie%20Albert%20Canning
https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/wars-and-conflicts/korean-war/battle-of-hill-355/
Princes Patricia's Light Infantry Page - https://ppcli.com/ppcli-museum-description/regimental-history/korea/
